Clamp



May 8, 1962 E. J. LINDHOLM 3,033,559

CLAMP Filed Sept. 22, 1960 a i 1 i i INVENTOR.

EDWARD J Ll/VDHOLM ATTORN drawings, in which:

3,033,559 CLAMP Edward J. Lindholm, 3101 Finley St., Middletown, Ohio Filed Sept. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 58,601 1 Claim. (Cl. 269-205) This invention relates to a clamp, and more particularly to a clamp having a pair of jaws one of which may be effectively tightened against an object located between it and another jaw by means of an impact of series of impacts applied to the base of the jaw for advancing the jaw along a connector element common to both jaws.

An object of the invention is to provide a clamp having a pair of jaws one of which is slidable along and relative to one end of a connector element which spans and interconnects said jaws, the other jaw of which threadably engages the other end of said connector element and wherein the opposite ends of said connector element are interconnected for relative rotation and fixed against relative endwise movement.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a clamp having the hereinabove described characteristics and which includes an arm secured to and carried by the non-threaded portion of the connector element for precluding the transmission of a turning torque from the threaded end of said connector to the non-threaded end thereof incident to rotation of the threaded end.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamp which includes a pair of jaws each of which is adapted to engage a connector element and wherein the structural relationship between said jaws and connector element is such that the jaws may be mounted relative to one another and the connector element whereby to function as a clamp, or wherein said jaws may be associated with one another and the connector whereby to function as a jack or spreader.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and as disclosed in the accompanying FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, il-

lustrating one use of a clamp embodying the details of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view, partly in section, illustrating a feature of the connector element which comprises a detail of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a View illustrating the manner in which the device may be used as a jack or spreader.

With reference to the drawings, the numeral denotes generally an elongate connector member having an end 12 which is substantially cylindrical and smooth, and an end 14 which is provided with an externally threaded portion 16. The threaded and non-threaded portions of the connector element may be interconnected such as, by way of example, is illustrated in FIG. 4, for relative rotation while fixed against endwise movement. Such connection may be effected by providing the end of threaded portion 14 with a head 20 and a stud portion 22, each of which is receivable within the complementary socket portion 24 provided in an end of connector element 12.

The numeral 30 denotes an L-shaped jaw having first and second legs 32 and 34 wherein leg 32 terminates in a bearing head 36. An axial bore 38 is provided in the lower portion of leg 34 adjacent but spaced inwardly from its free end, wherein said axial bore is in substantial spaced parallelism with the axis of leg 32. 'The relative relationship between axial bore 38 and the cylindrical portion 12 of the connector member is such as to provide a sliding or slip fit when the parts are assembled as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5.

ited Sttes Patent "ice The numeral 40 denotes the other jaw which includes first and second legs 42 and 44, respectively, wherein leg 42 terminates in a bearing head 46 and wherein an internally threaded axial bore 48 is provided through the lower portion of leg 44. The external threads 16 are adapted to threadably engage the internally threaded bore 48 of jaw 40.

With particular reference now to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the opposite faces 60 and 62 of an object or workpiece 64 will be subjected to the compressive action of the bearing heads 36 and 46 of jaws 30 and 40 incident to movement of said jaws toward one another along the connector member 10.

J aw 30 may be urged toward and in clamping engagement with face 60 of workpiece 64 incident to the application of an impact or series of impacts on outer face 31 of leg 34 adjacent bore 38, which impacts will cause the jaw to walk along and be shifted to the right, in a step-by-step manner along portion 12 of connector 10. Accidental or unintentional movement of jaw 30 to the left along and/ or relative to the smooth portion 12 of connector member 10 will be effectively precluded by reason of bending movement about point x" of jaw 30 by reason of the friction forces F, which are equal and opposite to force F. It should be understood that when no force F is applied to bearing head 36, jaw 30 is freely slidable on portion 12 of connector 10.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that if -face 62 of an object or workpiece 64 is initially positioned against bearing head 46 of jaw 40, it may be etfectively clamped, as illustrated in FIG. 1, incident to the step by-step advancement of jaw 30 along portion 12 of the connector element.

The clamping action may be released from object 64 by rotating the threaded portion 14 of the connector element in such a direction as to move jaw 40 to the right, that is, away from face 62.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, means such as an elongate arm or rod secured to and carried by a bracket 82 is adapted to abuttingly engage the side or bottom surface 66 of the object or workpiece 64 whereby when said bracket is securely though releasably fastened relative to portion 12 of the connector member, it will effectively preclude rotation of portion 12 incident to rotation of the threaded portion 14 of the connector member. A set screw 84 may be utilized for adjustably securing the arm or rod 80 relative to the bracket 82 and also for securing the bracket relative to the connector member. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the tree outer end of portion or threaded end 14 may be provided with a series of flats for accommodating a crank, wrench, or other tool for applying a rotational force thereto.

In FIG. 5 it will be noted that jaws 30 and 40 have been reversed from their relative positions of FIG. 1. When utilized as in FIG. 5, the jaws are extremely effective as a jack or spreader for applying opposite forces to faces 92 and 94 of a pair of laterally spaced elements 96 and 98, respectively.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that I have thus provided simple yet highly effective means in the form of a pair of clamps w 'ch may be associated with an elongate connector member whereby said jaws may function either as a clamp or as a jack or spreader.

It should be understood that various changes may be made in the structural details of the device, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A clamp comprising a pair of L shaped jaws and a connector element, one leg of each of said jaws terminating in a bearing head, the second leg of one of said jaws having a relatively smooth axial bore therethirough in spaced parallelism with the axis of the first leg thereof, the second leg of the other jaw having an internally threaded axial bore therethrough in spaced parallelism with the axis of the first leg thereof, said connector element including a substantially smooth cylindrical portion slidably receivable within the said smoothi opening of the second leg of one of said jaws, and an externally threaded portion for threaded engagement with the said internally threaded bore of the second leg of the other ofsaid jaws, means rotatably interconnecting said cylindrical and threaded portions in axial end-to-end relationship, a bracket, means securing said bracket to the substantially smooth cylindrical portion of said connector, and an elongate rigid element secured to and carried by said bracket, said element adapted to abut against an object mounted between the bearing heads of said jaws for preeluding rotation of the substantially smooth portion of the connector incident to rotation of the threaded portion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ham 

